Third Sector Organizations: A Form of Law Enforcement in China

Many think that the ‘third sector’ generally refers to an intermediary between the government and the private sector, in which there are a considerable number of social organizations (eg associations, professions, guilds) to provide various kinds of social service for society. In contrast, there has been little reference to it as a form of law enforcement. This paper argues that China has traditionally regarded the third sector organization as a form of law enforcement, and this practice has continued in modern China, even in the People's Republic of China. Although such sector organizations are generally recognized as a kind of intermediary to provide for social services, it is argued that, historically as well as contemporarily, China has regarded these organizations as a form of enforcement for crime prevention and community safety.